Verizon Center

Verizon CenterLooking for events at the Verizon Center in DC? Check out Party Earth for info on Hoyas Basketball, the Washington Capitals, Washington Wizards + other events!Washington, DCUnited States38.89798-77.020383

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INFO
The NBA’s Washington Wizards and NHL’s Washington Capitals share the Verizon Center, which also houses the Georgetown University’s men’s basketball team and the Washington Mystics of the WNBA. Because of its association...
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Verizon Center
Information

The NBA’s Washington Wizards and NHL’s Washington Capitals share the Verizon Center, which also houses the Georgetown University’s men’s basketball team and the Washington Mystics of the WNBA. Because of its association with a telecom company, the Verizon Center has been nicknamed “The Phone Booth.” Seating 20,828 for basketball and 18,506 for hockey, the dual-use stadium was built in 1997. Seats are located on upper and lower decks, with a ring of club seats and luxury suites in between. The Verizon Center is located in DC’s Chinatown neighborhood.

Other performances and events at Verizon Center have included pop acts like Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift, and WWE wrestling events. Over 200 events take place at the stadium each year.

Concessions at the Verizon Center include many food and beverage vendors, including a few full-service bars. Unlike at many other NCAA events, alcohol is served during Georgetown Hoya games. Parking at the Verizon Center is available for $27 for concerts but is not open for Wizards and Capitals games, except for visitors with disabilities. Public parking lots and four Metro stations are nearby.

Verizon Center
User Reviews

I've been attending Wizards and Capitals games since I moved here in 2010, and I can honestly say that the Verizon Center is one of the freshest arenas in professional sports. There is not one bad seat in the house, despite being one of the biggest indoor arenas in the country. Even on a quiet night, the sheer aesthetic beauty of the arena is captivating. Its central location makes it easy to get to from anywhere in the metro area. There is lots to do in the neighborhood surrounding the arena, so before the game you can check out the National Portrait Gallery, located across the street, and after the game, you can head to RFD, one of the East coast's premier sports bars that specializes in international beer.

As someone who's attended about ten Wizards games this season, I can say your experience at the Verizon Center will vary depending on who the Wizards are playing. When the Knicks, Bulls, Heat, or Celtics are in town, expect a sellout and a strong atmosphere. However, a mid-week game versus the Minnesota Timberwolves, it's likely that only half the seats will be filled. Regardless, if the game is close, you can expect the place to get loud. John Wall's recent 47-point performance against Memphis came on a Monday night and the arena was rocking.
The Verizon Center has great entertainment during timeouts, between quarters, and at halftime. When the players are being introduced before the game, it always shocks fans in the crowd to see flames at either end of the floor. During the first timeout of every game, make sure to keep your head up in case someone throws a Chipotle burrito your way. The Verizon Center also likes to find groups from local schools and universities to perform at halftime, which adds some DC flavor to the performance.
The concourses are filled with everything possible to satisfy your needs. If you're looking for a burger, taco, or a local microbrew, it isn't terribly difficult to find something as long as you're willing to pay a little extra than you would outside the arena. If you're lucky enough to sit in a luxury suite, expect to be treated like royalty with free food and free beer the entire game.
The Verizon Center is large even for an NBA arena, holding roughly 20,000 people. If you're attending a sellout and it happens to be a close game, no matter where you sit, expect to have an amazing time.

The Verizon Center is one of the hottest spots in the country. In fact, it’s the fourth busiest arena in the USA, averaging over 220 events a year.
Not only is the arena home to the Capitals, Hoyas, Mystics, and Wizards, but also for a multitude of live events during the year. Massive recording artists, Disney on Ice, and the WWE have all showcased their talents on the multi-purpose floor.
The Verizon Center has the best location of any venue in the city. The arena is about as close to the center of the D.C. as you can get, directly in the middle of Chinatown. If you aren’t in the mood for General Tso’s, you can walk through the Friendship Arch and choose from dozens of different bars and restaurants. Or if you’re running late, there are plenty of food options inside the arena.
The standard stadium dogs, draft beers, and cotton candy are available on every level; but if you’re willing to hunt around the concourse a little bit, there are a few culinary surprises. Imported beer kiosks and popular local restaurant chains have a presence inside, which greatly improves the quality of your in-game dining experience. Throw back enough of those imports and you might even convince yourself that you stumbled into a luxury suite.
Even if you aren’t so fortunate, there really isn’t a bad seat in the house. Whether the floor is configured for the ice or hardwood, the sight lines are great from court side to section 411. So whether you’re there for hellacious dunks, vicious body checks, or ear-popping arias; you’ll be able to see all the action from wherever you’re sitting. Although location really won’t matter when Ovie lights the lamp and you jump to your feet to scream with roughly 20,000 other people. While you’re sharing that kind of euphoric moment with your fellow D.C. socialites, you’ll completely forget about the gridlock on 66.

The Verizon center doesn't offer much more than a normal large sports arena, but it attracts so many different events every year. From concerts to sports games, any big name comes through the Verizon center and Wizards and Capitals games always bring D.C. fans together. On game days the Verizon center as well as the streets surrounding it get packed with D.C. fans, and it definitely fuels the energy of the whole area.

The Verizon Center is great for big name concerts. It's right next to the metro station, so if you have access to the metro, your trip is made so much easier! Not to mention, there are so many places to eat beforehand, like Chipotle, McDonalds, or even restaurants in Chinatown. There's even an Urban Outfitters and other shops nearby to kill time before hand.
I love planning my DC trips largely, so I typically leave really early and find a place to eat and shop a little beforehand. When walking in, the workers are very helpful in checking you in quickly and helping you find your seats. Although the venue is huge, the lack of intimacy is balanced out by the extravagance of the show. There are always great stage designs for unique performances, as well as insane lights to get everyone involved in the show, even if you're in the nosebleed seats up top.
I prefer intimate concerts where you can see the musicians up close and personal, but I was pleasantly surprised that even from not that great of a location, I still had an amazing time and felt involved in the show. I can't even imagine what the experience would be like in close up floor seats! Tickets are usually pretty expensive, especially if you want good seats. Not to mention, tickets for big name artists sell out extremely quickly - sometimes in the matter of just seconds or minutes, like Coldplay did. Sometimes the Verizon Center adds another concert date for big artists who sold out quickly, which is pretty cool. Depending on the type of music, I would thoroughly consider whether or not to buy a ticket. Think of how involved the musician is in making a great performance because it you go for a quiet, mellow band, I'm not sure if the experience will be quite worth it. I've never been to a game before but I would love to see how the Verizon Center transforms for sporting events!

The Verizon Center is absolutely ginormous! It’s right in the middle of Chinatown, so the area is great for everything. You can get Chinese food and then head right to the game. My boyfriend had season tickets a couple years ago so I used to get to go all the time!
I saw the Black Keys and Arctic Monkeys here and the concert was awesome! Seriously so cool to hear a concert right in the middle of a basketball court! It’s really big and the acoustics weren’t amazing but still, it was a pretty amazing concert! I also love coming to the Verizon Center just to hang out! There’s a ton of stuff to do around here! It’s great!

I have only been to the Verizon Center for basketball games, and it is a perfectly great arena for sporting events. (I once got to perform during a Wizards half-time game on the court! It was pretty awesome. Basketball players are so gigantic up close.)
At any rate, I haven't had the opportunity to see a concert here, but I kind of wonder what all the fuss is about. In my experience, pretty much every "sports" arena is the same as every other one when it comes to concerts.
I will say, though, that Wizards games are tons of fun. It's a nice arena, good comfortable seats (or as much as they will be), and the energy is always high. i know the WIzards aren't the best basketball team out there, but live sports games are just fun! If you're in DC in the winter and are looking for something to do, a basketball game would be a pretty fun choice, I would say.

I've seen several concerts at Verizon center and I really like this venue. It is right in the heart of Chinatown which means easy to reach by public transportation and good for finding places to eat before a show and drink afterwards. I believe they have a parking lot but, being from Baltimore, I typically take the metro into DC to avoid driving/parking. The venue itself attracts the biggest names and events. It is huge inside and you never feel too far from the action, even if your seats are in the nosebleed section. They have tons of vendors and it is kept pretty clean for a venue of its size. I have been there a bunch of times and would definitely go back!

If you're planning on going to a concert at the Verizon Center, read-on. Of course, concert goers have no real options, the venue is picked by their music group they are going to watch. That's the spot I was put in when Coldplay and RHCP visited DC. If I were to pick a favorite concert venue in the DC metro area, it would be the Merriweather Post Pavillion out in Columbia, MD, just for the ambience, the beer and the crowd.
Verizon center comes close second, only because of the location and metro accessibility. The venue is also great for
concerts like the Coldplay where they use fancy light tricks.
For whatever reason, the few concerts I've been to there, I've never really liked the audio quality. It's possible that my seat selection had something to do with it.
One secret is to enter through the gate thats inside of the movie theater area - not many people seem to know about it
Also, check where the stage is going to be while buying tickets, it changes for every concert.
I've watched two concerts now with seats right behind the stage and I totally recommend it - worth the money

The Verizon Center does its job of being the big arena in DC but there’s really nothing special about the place. It’s big enough to host NBA games for the Wizards, NHL games for the Capitals, college basketball, big name concerts, and even the occasional Monster Truck show. Just like any big arena, the upper deck and nosebleed seats can provide a tough view (make sure to bring your binoculars) and you will need to shell out some cash in order to get good seats where you won’t need to strain your eyes. I will say that the facility is pretty clean and well kept relative to other arenas, and the location in the heart of DC provides plenty of opportunities for pre- and post-event eating, drinking, and hanging out within a few block radius. Plus, there’s a few Metro stops right nearby making it easy to get in and out…that is if you did not drive…in that case good luck. Overall, the arena is a necessity and hosts some ‘can’t miss’ events even if the price tag gets a little high.